Is an Open Relationship Even Possible? Actress Zoe Lister-Jones Investigates

Relationships are difficult. Open relationships? Even more so—and actress, director, and screenwriter Zoe Lister-Jones knows exactly how much. In this installment of Sad Hot Girls, Lister-Jones—who starred in the films Band Aid (2017) and Lola Versus (2012)—goes back in time to her college years and explains how exactly an open relationship begins. First, there is the “days off” stage, in which the duo ceases communication several times a week to ensure “me time.” Next? The “seeing other people” stage. This is where things get tricky. Here, Lister-Jones notes that she and her then-boyfriend had a policy where neither spoke about who they were seeing but, alas, it’s not as easy as it seems.

During Lister-Jones’s time off, she experienced plenty of bad dates. Think: drug dealers; freegans. (Never heard of a freegan? Prepare yourself.) As for the boyfriend, well, he had a stellar time. In the end, Lister-Jones realized that an open relationship was not as ideal as it seemed and attempted to close it back up. But is recovery ever possible? And what exactly happened to Lister-Jones’s college ex? Watch here to find out.